Mission & History

About Us

The Ohio Masonic Home offers three premier lifestyle communities across Ohio, including Springfield, Browning, and Western Reserve Masonic Communities, delivering exceptional experiences that make community members and staff feel like family. In addition to our three communities, the Ohio Masonic Home Resource Center provides a wide variety of resources and services to Ohio residents, which contribute to sustaining the health, happiness and independence of individuals and their families. Our focus is on helping those we serve to receive the resources they need in the best location, whether that be their home, one of our campuses, or elsewhere.

Our Mission

We are the living expression of our Masonic Values – We serve as the trusted partner to help people age respectfully.

History

In the early 1840s, The Grand Lodge of Ohio discussed plans to establish a Home for the Aged to care for elderly Masons. In 1888, the Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, William B. Hillman, led a successful effort to establish The Ohio Masonic Home for the benefit of worthy, distressed Ohio Master Masons, their wives, widows and orphans.

The cornerstone of The Ohio Masonic Home’s first building, Bushnell, was laid in 1892 and the first resident was admitted in 1895. In addition to services for the elderly, from the late 1890s to 1956, the Springfield campus also served as a Masonic Children’s Home. During that period, more than 750 children were raised alongside residents at The Ohio Masonic Home. That experience had such an impact on them that they formed an Alumni Association, which meets every two years at the Springfield campus. Since 1895 more than 10,000 elderly Masons, their wives and widows have been served by The Ohio Masonic Home.

In 1996, The Ohio Masonic Home opened its doors to the public to partner with the community in providing excellent senior living options. In 1999 and 2001, two northern campuses, in Waterville and Medina, were added to the Ohio Masonic Home family. Today, all three campuses and our Resource Center partner with all residents of Ohio, empowering them to remain healthy, independent and supported.